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Rome

The Trevi Fountain in Rome

If you ask to people which is the most famous fountain in the world, they will tell you that it is Trevi Fountain.

Scenic and majestic, you can feel  its presence at the beginning of the street that lead to it: the noise of falling water in the tanks is mixed with the voices of tourists who are launching the famous “dime’s return to Rome.”

Inaugurated in 19 a. C. the Trevi Fountain was conceived by M. V. Agrippa and it is a unique example of ancient Roman aqueducts which always worked sincethe time of Augustus up to the present day. Its name is probably due to the presence of the intersection of three roads or triple water junction.

A brief history of the Trevi Fountain

In 1453 Pope Nicholas V started the aqueduct restoration work following the plans of Leon Battista Alberti and Bernardo Rossellini, architects of the Virgin waters. The name of the Virgin Water, according to legend, would have been given by Agrippa in memory of a young girl (virgo) that would have  indicated the place of the springs to the soldiers who were looking for it. The architects built a design  of the fountain decorated with coats of arms of the Pope and  Roman people, under which the water emitted by three streams, gathered in a rectangular basin.

In 1640 Urbano VIII Barberini decided that the fountain had to change orientation and entrusted the project to Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The construction work, however, were limited to the installation of a base with a tank in front of which there were  three pipe unions. In 1732 Clemente XII Corsini organized a competition for the adjustment of the Trevi Fountain in which took  part the most important artists of the time. Among the projects of the architect  Nicola Salvi, the Pope preferred  the more monumental . Salvi with great competence and professionalism was in charge for the construction work from 1732 until 1752, the year of his death, with his good friend Luigi Vanvitelli.

What does the Trevi Fountain represent?

The central part of the Trevi Fountain façade is developed as a triumphal arch, with a deep niche and Corinthian columns. At the center there is a large inscription that recalls the construction of the fountain commissioned by Pope Clemente XII whose portrait is at the top. Four big statues of 1735 adorn the building itself and symbolize, from left, the fruits of Abundance by  Agostino Corsini, the Fields  Fertility by Bernardo Ludovisi, the Autumn  Gifts of Francesco Queirolo and Amenity of fields by Bartolomeo Pincellotti.

Trevi Fountain – top particular

In the large central niche there is a huge statue of Ocean that is driving a large shell-shaped chariot, pulled by two winged sea horses, one angry and the other one peaceful, conducted by one young  triton  and one  mature symbolizing the different features of nature and man’s age.

Trevi Fountain Decorations

The sides of the large niche exhibit statues of Healthiness and Abundance by Filippo Della Valle, and the reliefs depicting the Virgin showing the source by the soldiers of Grossi, and Agrippa agree that the construction of the aqueduct of Bergondi. The official opening of the Trevi Fountain was on May 22 of 1762.

Curiosity about Trevi Fountain

The beautiful and surprising bath in the Trevi Fountain of Anita Ekberg with an  evening dress in the movie “La Dolce Vita” made it famous worldwide. But how could we forget Toto in the movie Tototruffa who tries to sell it to a tourist? Each year the City of Rome earn from these coins about 600 thousand Euros, for Caritas Solidarity projects.

The famous scene of the movie La dolce Vita
The famous scene of the movie La dolce Vita

Where: Piazza di Trevi
How to get there: Subway line A, stop “Piazza di Spagna” or “Barberini”, then walk a little in direction of Piazza di Trevi.
When: always
Ticket: free entrance

Categorie
Rome

The Pantheon in Rome

The first thing that will draw your attention is its  large Latin inscription with bronze letters: M.AgrippaL.F.Cos. Tertium.Fecit ( “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, Consul for the third time, built”). In fact, this inscription dates back to the first “version” of the Pantheon built by Agrippa, son of Augustus, in 27 BC.

What we see today, however, is the Pantheon completely rebuilt by Hadrian in 118-125, who wanted to keep on the front of the building the original inscription to which the scholars, for a long time, could not give a precise chronological position.

The temple dedicated to all gods

The Pantheon, in greek, is the place where all the gods meet. The function that it was supposed to have in ancient Rome is still uncertain. According to historians, it was built to house the statues of many gods of pagan Rome, but the name may also derive from the fact that the dome refer tothe sky. Agrippa  wanted to make a temple dedicated to the worship of the gods protectors of the Julian family, especially Mars and Venus.

A Brief History of the Pantheon

When the Empire was destroyed the Pantheon was abandoned until the emperor of Byzantium, Foca, gave it in 608 to Boniface IV who consecrated it to the Virgin and all the martyrs. After it also had the function of small fortress and in 1652 Urban VIII Barberini eliminated the bronze coating of the colonnade beams from which he obtained 80 guns for  Castel Sant’Angelo and the four twisted columns of St. Peter’s canopy. When it was proclaimed the Unity, Pantheon had the function of sacrariumof the kings of Italy and the following  restoration  deleted the iron grating of the colonnade and the famous “donkey ears”, the bell towers added by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

The extraordinary architecture of the Pantheon

Tourists are amazed by the contrast between the squared entrance(Pronao), typical of the temples, and the immense rounded interior space typical of structures in Ancient Rome with a thermal function. The imposing colonnade , beyond which there are the portal and two niches probably  for the statues of Augustus and Agrippa, is decorated with 16 grey and pink granite columns  13 meters high. The walls of the round  are made by brick and the dome, the largest ever built in masonry, is made by conglomeration.

The interior of the Pantheon in Rome Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock.com
The interior of the Pantheon in Rome Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock.com

 

The dome of the Pantheon is one of the wonders of all time: a real technological gem that overcame 2,000 years of earthquakes. The dome in concrete, in fact, was built by following a pioneering technique that used materials always lighter from the bottom to the top. The architects used a particularly light conglomeration (opus caementicium) formed by mortar and travertine flakes, replaced as they went up to the top by lapillus and pumice stone. Under the stones there is a wooden structure with  many arches on which it is distributed the weight.

Famous paintings and tombs: the interior of the Pantheon

Inside the Pantheon there are seven semi-circular and rectangular niches made,  ribbed ancient yellow columns and niches with columns supporting tympanum; there is then an eighth niche, topped by an arch, which is situated opposite the entrance. In the vault adorned with five series of ceiling coffers, the only source of natural light is the bronze eye  of 9 meters and the floor has squares and circles pattern. In almost all niches there is something to admire: the first is the “Annunciation” fresco by Melozzo da Forli, in the second there is the tomb of Vittorio Emanuele II designed by ManfredoManfredi, in the sixth there are the tombs of Umberto I and Margherita di Savoia, in the seventh, called the Virtuoso of the Pantheon, there are funeral inscriptions of FlaminioVacca, Taddeo Zuccari and Perin del Vaga. Inside the Pantheon there is also the tomb of Raffaelloplaced under the Madonna del Sasso byLorenzetto.

The grave of Victor Emanuele
The grave of Victor Emanuele

Does it rain inside the Pantheon?

It is said that in the Pantheon it never rains, although there is the huge oculus from which it should enter the water. In fact, in the Pantheon it rains like in all the houses where there is no roof. Not surprisingly, in the middle of the floor, just below the oculus, there are gutters that collect the rain.

Timetables and  prices of the Pantheon
Address: Piazza del Pantheon, not far from Via del Corso from Monte Citorio and Parliament.
How to get there: The Pantheon is not near any metro station but it is easily reachable by feet because it is along the classic route to visit the monuments of Rome. The recommended stop is Piazza di Spagna, from where you can reach Via del Corso and from here, passing through Monte Citorio and Parliament, you will arrive to the Pantheon.
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30 am -7: 30 pm ; Sunday 9 am – 6 pm ; holidays 9 am – 1 pm
There may be restrictions during church services.
Ticket prices: Free admission

Categorie
Rome

The Colosseum of Rome

If there is a universal symbol to identify Rome in the world, this is certainly the Flavian Amphitheatre, or as it is more commonly called, the “Colosseum”, the largest amphitheatre in the world. One of 10 things to see in Rome and perhaps in the world. Since 72 A. D. it stands majestically in the archaeological heart of Rome, wanted by the Flavian dynasty who built it in the area occupied by the  artificial lake of the Domus Aurea.

The “Colosseum” is named after an imposing bronze statue, the “Colossus of Nero”, which was located close to it. Its central location was made possible after the disastrous fire in 64 d. C. during the reign of Nero. It was an easy place to reach, since then, there were no mass transportation.

The rise and fall of a symbol of ancient Rome

In 79 A.D. the Colosseum was dedicated to Vespasian and was inaugurated by Titus in 80 A.D.  with games that lasted 100 days  during which 5,000 animals were slaughtered, sacrificed to gain favour of the citizens. The Colosseum was later completed by Domitian and restored by Severus Alexander. During the late Empire inside the Colosseum were organised performances with hunts and gladiator fights. In 217 A.D. the upper porch of the Colosseum and the underground structures burned down by a fire and shows for the next five years had to take place in the Circus Maximus. This explains the characteristic shape that made it famous all over the world. Between 250 and 252 and in 320 A.D. other fires devastated it. Later there was also a disastrous earthquake in September 1349 that brought down a large part of the exterior walls and arches of the amphitheatre support.

Large amounts of travertine blocks, that made up the primary structure of the building, were taken away and used for the reconstruction of buildings destroyed. Step by step  the Colosseum was  abandoned and at first was transformed into a fortress against the barbarian invasions and further as a mine. Since it was  ruined and degraded, the Pope Sixtus V decided to shoot it down completely but then, he  chose to introduce it in the itinerary of the basilicas. The continuous raids finally ended  in the eighteenth century when Benedict XIV dedicated the amphitheatre to the passion of Christ and was raised  the crucifix in the central part of the building.

The architecture of the Colosseum

The Colosseum is made of travertine in the external side and load-bearing structure, while in other areas is made up of tuff, brick and concrete. It is long 188 meters and wide 156 metres . Three rows of arches on the façade about 50 meters high, while the  elliptical arena inside  is 86x54m and was separated from the auditorium by a podium, decorated with niches and embellished with marble. It was reserved exclusively to the members of the imperial family and other personalities. The auditorium was divided according to the social class of the spectators: the lower bleachers reserved for the patricians were in marble and divided into sectors, while the last, in which there was the plebs, were made of wood and separated by a high wall. The amphitheatre could accommodate about 150,000 spectators who could access through the vaulted corridors with stairs of the various plans; a drape  provided protection from the sun. In the basements of the arena there were tunnels for the beasts, the scenic equipment and elevators. Among the services to the public, in addition to drinking fountains scattered along some interior corridors, there were some  extravagant  fountains  with rose scented liquids, saffron or other essences.

What kind of games were held in the Colosseum?

The amphitheatre was the setting for different types of games: fights between animals (venationes), condemned people  killed by wild beasts (noxii) and fights between gladiators (munera). The periods in which there were more  shows were spring, summer (except August) and autumn. The gladiators were the ones that attracted the attention of the people. The tradition of the fighting seems to have been handed down by the Etruscans who believed it was right to sacrifice the prisoners of war or slaves during the games. The Romans also really appreciated the naval battles during the reigns of Domitian and Vespasian; This suggests that the original paving of the Colosseum was of such magnitude that it could contain a great amount of water. The latest evidence of the fights of gladiators is dated back  to 437, but the amphitheatre was still used for the killing of animals around the 523, under Theodoric.

The beasts used during the Colosseum battles

Only after the conquest of Asian and African provinces, the Latin world  had the opportunity to know the extravagant  unusual and scary appearances of beasts. Their brutality and their size intrigued and attracted the public who loved this exciting entertainment, especially when brave men had to fight  them. The struggles with the beasts were very bloody and included many animals of different races, excited and terrified by the noise of the crowd. Sometimes hunters with bows and arrows killed deer or gazelles, sometimes  exotic animals like ostriches were killed. Some shows were  fights between animals, for example, big animals were bound together by chains, while men teased them with long beams encouraging them to fight. The exploitation of exotic animals, such as tigers, in all major amphitheatres of the  Empire caused a real impoverishment of wildlife in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

The Colosseum gladiators between myth and reality

They take their name from a short sword used during the fight. The barracks in which they lived were called “Ludusgladiatorius”. tHey were grouped into schools called “the Family”  where they learned the techniques of struggle and took care of their athletic training thanks to the masters: the “lanistae”, surviving veterans of hard battles with a lot of experience ; trainings were very hard. Much of the fighters were among slaves and prisoners of common crimes, but there were free men who risked their lives to get a little of celebrity and popularity. The reputation of the champions  was truly remarkable, the audience cheered them and followed them with great passion. The gladiators knew how to use  different weapons which assumed different techniques of assault or defence. According to their type of armament they were called by different names: Cetervari, Secutores, Reziari, Mirmillones Traces.

Timetable  and prices of the Colosseum tickets
Address: Old Town, along the ForiImperiali
Getting there: Metro Line B stop Coliseum
Bus 60 – 75 – 85 – 87-117 – 271-571 – 175-186 – 810-850 – C3
tram 3
Opening hours: 8:30 am
Closing time:
Autumn/ Winter
From the last Sunday of October to 15th of February: 3:30 pm  last entrance and exit 4:30 pm ;
from February 16th to March 15th: last entrance 4 pm  and exit  5 pm;
from 16th  March to the last Saturday of March: entrance  4.30 pm and exit 5.30 pm
Spring /Summer
last Sunday of  March to 31st August:  last entrance 6.15 pm and exit 7.15 pm;
from 1st to 30th of  September : last entrance 6 pm and exit 7 pm;
from 1st October until the last Saturday of October: last entrance 5.30 pm and exit 6.30 pm;
Closed January 1, May 1 and December 25
Ticket prices: € 12,00 , Reduced ticket €  7.50 euro, for European Union members between 18 and 24 years and for European Union teachers.
The ticket can be bought  at the ticket offices of the Palatine in Via di San Gregorio n. 30, or in Piazza Santa Maria Nova 53 (200 meters from the Colosseum) and also includes admission to the Roman Forum and Palatine.

Categorie
Rome

Galleria Borghese in Rome

We cannot tell you the history of Galleria Borghese in Rome and its masterpieces without telling you aboutScipione Borghese. Son of the sister of Camillo Borghese, who became in 1605 Paul V, important nepotistic pope , Scipione was decreed  Cardinal immediately after the election of his uncle, just two months after.

Scipione was only 26 years old and was entrusted several important tasks of responsibility: he was prefect of the Congregation of the Council, protector of churches, religious orders and regions, Grand Penitentiary, Archbishop of Bologna, and more. But despite all the heavy commitments he never gave up on his true passion: the art. He subsidized many talents such as Caravaggio, Bernini, Nicolas Cardier, Guido Reni, Domenichino and Rubens, and he  was also famous and  feared for the lack of scruples with which he got the artworks.

"If you don’t give me the painting, you’ll go to jail!” Thus was born Galleria Borghese

Domenichino  was a victim of this ruthlessness and arrogance in 1616-17, when  he was imprisoned for refusing to give to the Cardinalthe painting of  Diana’s Hunt that was ordered by another cardinal, Pietro Aldobranchini. But also the monks of the church of San Francesco in Perugia lost their masterpiece of Raphael’s Deposition without their authorization. Moreover in 1607 were confiscated 107 paintings to the painter Giuseppe Celestial, just to increase its already impressive collection. The collection of Scipione Borghese was already considerable when the Cardinal in 1609 acquired a building in Via dellaConciliazione, next to St. Peter’s. This house became the first one of the collection which remained there until he moved into the villa Pinciana, at the top of Villa Borghese: thus was born Galleria Borghese.

Galleria Borghese Rome

Borghese Gallery – Galleria Borghese

The artworks of Galleria Borghese are divided into twenty rooms on two floors. On the ground floor are located some sculptures, not only the ancient ones, but also those ordered to some artists of the period, in addition to those received in the following centuries. A spiral staircase leads from the ground floor to the first floor where in twelve halls there is the gallery with hundreds of paintings: an anthology of paintings from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. A huge, great, uniquecollection, , where all schools are represented: the Italian Mannerism and Florentine one, the Lombard school, Ferrara, Florence, Siena, Brescia, Venetian and Roman. On this page some of the must-see works  at the Galleria Borghese.

Canova and Bernini: Paolina Borghese, Apollo and Daphne, David, and the Rape of Proserpine

At the centre of the first room, stands one of the most famous statues in the world, the one of Pauline Borghese that Antonio Canova created  between 1805 and 1808. No less famous is, in the second room, the David that Cardinal Scipione commissioned to the young Gian Lorenzo Bernini; Apollo and Daphne are in the middle of the third room, and in the fourth the marble group depicting the Rape of Proserpine. The fifth room is called the Hermaphrodite because of the presence of a Greek sculpture of Hermaphrodite, which dates back to the first century after Christ. There are other two works by Bernini in the sixth room, Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius, while in the seventh room, the Egyptian room , there are two statues of Isis, a first-century AD bronze, the other in black marble, about 150 AD.

paolina-borghese -galleria-borghese

Beloved Caravaggio by Scipione Borghese

Caravaggio was the favourite artist of Cardinal Borghese, so no wonder that here there are six works: Our Madonna and Child with St. Anne (Dei Palafrenieri) , the famous Boy with a Basket of Fruit, Young Sick Bacchus, St. Jerome Writing, St. John the Baptist and David with the head of Goliath, Caravaggio’s portrait.

Madonna -palafrenieri-Caravaggio

Raffaello

Also Raffaello was loved by Scipione Borghese, infact there are three paintings : Portrait of a Man, Portrait of Young Woman with Unicorn, and the Entombment known as the Pala Baglione. The way the Entombment reached Rome can explain the character of Scipione Borghese: it was painted for AtalantaBaglioni in memory of her son  Grifonetto, killed in the struggle for the rule of Perugia. The painting was in the church of San Francesco in Perugia. Here it remained for 101 years, until when , with the complicity of the local clergy, was picked up and sent to Paul V, who gave it to his nephew for the collection.

Deposition - Raffaello – Galleria Borghese

Tiziano and the Sacred and Profane Love

When Tiziano was just  25 years old, painted in 1514 “The Sacred and Profane Love” for the wedding of Nicholas Aurelius, and Laura Bagarotto. The candid bride, close to Love, is assisted by Venus herself. The two perfect women symbolize: the first one the “short happiness on earth” with the vase of joys and the second one the eternal and heavenly happiness, holding the burning flame of God’s love.

Where: Villa Borghese
How to get there: Take metro line A stop Spagna and follow the indication  for Villa Borghese – Via Veneto. With the bus: 5, 19, 52, 53, 63, 86, 88, 92, 95, 116, 204, 217, 231, 360, 490, 491, 495, 630, 910, 926.
When:
Booking compulsory  through the number 06 32810 (active Mon-Fri 9 am – 6 pm , Sat 9 am – 1 pm)
Timetable of Galleria Borghese
Tuesday – Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm
Last entrance at 5 pm – The tour can last  two hours for  a maximum of 360 people
From 9 – 11 am / 11 am – 1 pm / 1-3 pm/ 3-5 pm/ 5-7 pm
Closing days: Monday, December 25th, January 1st
Ticket: Full ticket  € 11.00 (9.00 + 2.00 Reservation required through  number 06 32810 (active from Monday to Friday 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm)

Categorie
capitals Rome

10 things to do and see in Rome

It is quite difficult to talk about Rome in a few words, and it is hard to believe that this wonderful city was built on a small settlement of shepherds on the Palatine hill and there was a she-wolf that nursed two children as they were her cubs. Perhaps billion of tourist each year look for this mystery, while they are visiting Rome.  The modernity of this city is not so romantic if you think about people, car and things that go back and forth. However, the capital of Italy is a beautiful destination like few cities in the world. In this page we suggest 10 things to do and see during a holiday or a weekend in Rome.

If you are looking for a hotel in Rome, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 2000 hotels with prices, pictures  and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

The Colosseum

1

There’s a legend about the Colosseum: one day it will fall down, Rome will fall down with it and with Rome the rest of the world. If this legend is true, let’s hope that this incredible monument stay there for long time! Inaugurated with the name of Flavian Amphitheatre, it was called “Colosseum” in a second time probably because of the colossal statue, known with the name of “God of the Sun”, which was near the amphitheater and looked like Nerone.

The Colosseum
The Colosseum

The Romans had fun watching the gladiators and the wild animals wrestling, or assisting at spectacular simulations of naval battles. This monument was built by the emperor Vespasiano, founder of Flavi dynasty. His son, Tito added two lines of seats completing the work wanted by his father, and to celebrate the end of the works (80 AD)  he organized 100 days of games. Nowadays the Colosseum is still one of the most important monuments of Rome. Around the amphitheater is possible to see the Centurions, people dressed like ancient Roman combatants, who stay there to pose in the tourists photos, and now they are part of the tradition too. Even without knowing anything of architecture or history, everybody is charmed by this monument, for which Roma is known all over the world. And looking at it after the sunset, whit all  spotlights on, it’s beyond words!

Where: Piazza del Colosseo
How to get there: Subway line  B – Colosseo stop
When – Hours: from last Sunday of  October to 15th February from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm; from 16th February to 15th March from 8.30 am to 5 pm; from 16th to last Saturday of  March from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm; from 30th March to 31st August from 8.30 am to 7.15 pm; from 1st to 30th September from 8.30 am to 7 pm; from 1st to last Sunday of October from 8.30 am to 6.30 pm.
Never: 1st January, 1st May, 25th December.
Tickets: The ticket office closes one hour before closing time.
Tickets can also be purchased at the ticket offices of the Palatine in Via di San Gregorio n. 30, or in Piazza Santa Maria Nova 53 (200 meters from the Colosseum) and includes also the entrance to the Palatine and Roman Forum.
Full price: 12,00 €; Reduced: 7,50 euro, for European Union members between 18 and 24 years and for European Union teachers; Free: European Union citizens under 18 and over 65 years.

The Pantheon in Rome

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With its dome and colonnade atrium, the Pantheon is one of the most famous Roman monuments. According to a legend, it’s the place where Romulus, after his death, was taken to heaven by an eagle.  It’s a Temple dedicated to all gods (Pan Theon- all gods), and it was built by Emperor Adrian between 118 and 125 A.D. replacing an earlier temple of Marcus Agrippa consecrated to Mars and Venus.

The Pantheon in Rome
The Pantheon in Rome

In 609, the Roman temple was converted into a Christian basilica with the name of Santa Maria ad Martyres. In 1870 it became shrine of the kings of Italy. Inside you can find  the tombs of Victor Emmanuel II, Umberto I and Margherita of Savoy, as well as that of the great Raffaello Sanzio. This building is characterized, more than anything else, by the largest hemispherical dome of 43.3 m diameter equal to the height from the floor, on top of which there is the largest  opening (9 m.), called “The  oculus (eye)” . From this hole comes the light, but also water falls down when it rain. However, it flows rapidly thanks to both central and lateral holes on the floor that prevent the formation of puddles. So, it’s not true that in the Pantheon doesn’t enter the rain. While it’s true that when it rains, the opening creates a “chimney effect” that is, an upward air current that crush water drops. Thus, even when the rain is pouring outside, the feeling is that inside there is less rain.

Where: Piazza della Rotonda
How to get there: Subway. Barberini stop (A line) . With the bus: n. 30,40,62,64,81,87, 492 (Lago di Torre Argentina stop)
When – Hours: from monday to friday 9.00 am – 7.30 pm. Sunday 9 am to 1.00 pm. In case of Mass or wedding celebrations, the entrance could not be admitted.
Tickets: free entrance

Trevi Fountain in Rome

3

If you are in Rome and you want to come back here, don’t hesitate and throw a coin into the famous Trevi fountain to realize your wish. Planned by the architect Nicolò Salvi, this fountain receive the water from the aqueduct “Vergine” (lit. “Virgin”) from August time. Central theme of the fountain is the sea, its style is characterized by the mix of Baroque and Classicism, reaching a perfect harmony.

Trevi Fountain in Rome
Trevi Fountain in Rome

The Trevi fountain has been a movie set , the theatre of manifestations and a stage of great events. One thing has to be clear: only Anita Ekberg in “La dolce vita” can take a bath in this fountain. If you try to do it you’ll have to face the  police ‘s reaction, and we are sure, they won’t be nice. The beauty of this construction leave the visitors breathless for its majesty, and few people notice a particular: on the right of the Trevi fountain there’s a  travertine vase-shaped sculpture, it’s called “asso di coppe” (lit. “Ace of Cups”, the cups are one of the four seeds in a pack of neapolitan cards). The legend tells that Nicolò Salvi positioned it in that place to prevent the vision of the fountain to a barber who tormented him with negative opinions about the work.

Where: Piazza di Trevi
How to get here: Subway line A, stop “Piazza di Spagna” or “Barberini”, then walk a little in direction of Piazza di Trevi.

Piazza Navona in Rome

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It’s one of the most beloved places for Romans and tourists, the ideal place to spend time while sitting at a table in a bar, among Baroque sculptures and architectures.

Piazza Navona is the site of the ancient stadium of Domitian (here- hence its oval shape), who wanted that place to host the athletics competitions (agones). Until the XIX century, in the square were organized recreational and sport shows. In August, the piazza was flooded by closing the drains of the fountains, to give a little coolness to the Romans. The main attraction of the Piazza Navona is the Fountain of the Four Rivers, designed by Gianlrenzo Bernini (1651).

Piazza Navona in Rome
Piazza Navona in Rome

The rivers are the Ganges, the Danube, the Rio de la Plata and the Nile represented by four giants placed on a pyramidal rock from which rises a Roman obelisk. In front of the magnificent fountain stands the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone with a  concave façade, designed by Borromini to emphasize the dome. The square is embellished by two fountains and precisely, the Fontana di Nettuno or Calderari’s and the Fontana del Moro in front of  Palazzo Pamphili, designed by Giacomo della Porta. It is a sight not to be missed, populated by tourists by day and young people by night who come here to spend their evenings, especially during the Christmas season when there are many characteristics stalls and the night between 5 and  6 January  during the Epiphany.

How to get there: Bus 64, 46, 70, 81, 116, 186 e 492.

The Vatican Museums in Rome

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Born from the patronage of the popes who gathered for centuries and commissioned outstanding works, the Vatican Museums are considered among the most beautiful museum complexes in the world (13 museums, one different from another), with one of the finest art collections in the planet.

The largest museum treasures are made from precious works of Greek and Roman antiquity (the Laocoon, the Apoxyomenos, the Apollo of Belvedere), as well as the rich collection of Egyptian art (mummies) and the Etruscan one (Mars of Todi).

The Art Gallery has a small but fine collection of paintings ranging from XII to XIX century, with works by Raphael, Caravaggio and Leonardo da Vinci. The Museums also include some beautifully frescoed halls as the Borgia Apartment, frescoed by Pinturicchio around 1490, the Raffaello Rooms, which are the four rooms used by Pope Julius II as his residence decorated by raffaello.

The Vatican Museums in Rome
The Vatican Museums in Rome

There is also the famous Sistine Chapel (named by its founder, Pope Sixtus IV) made by the extraordinary Michelangelo’s genius. It’s one of the most celebrated treasures in the world, visited each day by  20,000 visitors. The frescoes of the Creation (on vault) and the Last Judgment (on the altar wall), are considered among the largest and most intense painting masterpieces of art history. Could you disagree ?!

Where: Viale Vaticano
How to get there: Subway line A , stop: Ottaviano – S. Pietro; Cipro (for both 10 minutes by feet); Bus 49, 32, 81, 982, 492, 990; Tram 19
When – Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9 to 4 pm . Closing hours 6 pm . Closed Sunday, except for the last of each month (with free admission 9.00 am  to 12.30 pm  Closing 2.00 pm ), unless it coincides with the Holy Easter; 25 and 26 December; 1 and 6 January; February 11th; March 19; Easter Monday; May 1; June 29; 14 and August 15, November 1.
Tickets: Full price: € 16.00; reduced € 8.00; Special schools € 4.00; Free: last Sunday of each month.

St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome

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With its dome made by Michelangelo and the monumental façade, the St. Peter  Cathedral dominates the spectacular St. Peter’s Square surrounded by tall colonnades, Bernini’s masterpiece.

St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome
St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome

Heart of the Catholic Church, the Cathedral arises where in 324 Constantine built a shrine in honor of the First Apostle who was crucified and buried over there. In 1506, Pope Julius II commissioned Donato Bramante to design the construction of what would be the largest church in the world (22,000 square meters). Bramante, Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta, were just some of the architects who succeeded in ” St Peter’s Factory” in more than one hundred years to complete the great work. The greatest artists of the Roman and  Baroque Renaissance have left beautiful masterpieces, just think about the wonderful PietĂ  made by Michelangelo, the Pulpit of St. Peter,  the monument of Urban VIII and the sumptuous canopy of Bernini. It’s a place not to be missed  by pilgrims and visitors from around the world.

How to get there: Subway line A, Ottaviano – San Pietro stop
When – Hours: Cathedral: every day, from 1 October to 31 March: from 7.00 am to 6.30 pm ; from 1 April to 30 September: from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm
Tombs of the Popes: April to September: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm ; October to March: 7:00 am  to 5:00 pm ; Dome: April to September: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm; October to March: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Villa and Galleria Borghese in Rome

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The Villa Borghese Park is the  green “heart” of Rome. Designed in 1605 for the hedonistic Cardinal Scipione Borghese (favorite nephew of Pope Paul V), it was modified over the centuries by his successors.  In the early XX century it was purchased by the state and today it’s a real garden of delights .

Villa and Galleria Borghese in Rome
Villa and Galleria Borghese in Rome

The park contains within its 6 km of circumference, neoclassical statues, exotic buildings, an artificial lake, an aviary, numerous fountains, gardens and groves, a riding school, a zoo (the Bioparc), an amphitheater (Piazza di Siena ) and some museums.

The most famous is the Museum and Galleria Borghese placed in the homonymous XVII century villa (known as the Casino Borghese) . It was designed to preserve the magnificent private collection Borghese, initially made by Scipio. The villa is divided into two sections: the collection of sculptures (Museum) on the ground floor, among which you can admire some of Bernini’s masterpieces ( “Rape of Proserpine,” Apollo and Daphne “) and the famous Paolina Borghese statue made  by Canova; and the Art Gallery on the first floor, which includes works by great masters such as Tiziano, Raffaello, Caravaggio, Rubens.

Where: The park has 9 entrances among which:  Porta Pinciana, Trinità dei Monti, Piazza del Popolo and Piazzale Flaminio
How to get there: Villa Borghese (Park): entrance from Piazzale Flaminio metro A, Flaminio stop.
Borghese Museum and Gallery: metro A , Spagna stop (follow the signs for Villa Borghese – Via Veneto); bus n °: 5, 19, 52, 53, 63, 86, 88, 92, 95, 116, 204, 217, 231, 360.490, 491, 495, 630, 910, 926.
When – Hours: Villa Borghese (Park)
The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Borghese Gallery and Museum
Tuesday through Sunday, from 8.30 am to 7.30  pm (with access every two hours starting at 8:30 am). Closed: Monday, December 25, January 1. To visit you have to book your ticket. Info and booking tickets: 06. 32810 (Mon-Fri 9:00 am to 6:00 pm , Sat 9:00 am to 1:00 pm )
Ticket: Adults: € 9,00 (+ € 2.00 as reservation fee); Reduced € 4.50 (+ € 2.00 as reservation fee) for EU citizens between 18 and 25 years old and permanent teachers in schools; Free (+ € 2.00 as reservation fee) for EU citizens under the age of 18 and over 65 years.

Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps

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You can’t go to Rome and don’t see Piazza di Spagna with its Spanish Steps: 135 steps that seem to climb up to the sky. Wonderful setting for fashion shows and famous stars of many movies, Piazza di Spagna is known and loved all  around the world.

Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps
Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps

Many historical figures have stayed here, as Joseph Balsamo, called Cagliostro, famous alchemist and esoteric, who was staying in one of the houses near the square. The legend says that his arrest happened in the square and that his wife’s ghost still walks in this area;  she denounced her husband to the Holy Office, the Congregation of the Holy Roman and Universal Inquisition. Today the atmosphere is more reassuring, with thousands of tourists sitting on the stairs (even if they could not) or around the  Barcaccia “Four Rivers”,  the not beautiful fountain in the center of the square, ideal to cool off in the summer.

Things to eat in Rome

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Roman cuisine is genuine, popular, simple but nourishing, unchanged over the centuries. Part of the tradition are rigatoni with pajata, (beef or calf offal cooked in a very tasty sautée) and Amatriciana bucatini (tomato, bacon and cheese), cheese and pepper, all high calorie dishes par excellence, but it’s  worth making an exception to the diet.

Things to eat in Rome
Things to eat in Rome

The original recipe was born in Amatrice, a town of Lazio where the spaghetti with bacon and cheese, were the typical dish of the shepherds in the central Apennine mountain. Then it spreads throughout Italy. Don’t miss the other great Roman dishes like Carbonara spaghetti which, they say, were made with the food rations of the Allies during the Second World War, or the ones with cheese and pepper. The Capitoline kitchen is not only based on the first courses: in one of the excellent restaurants in the city you can taste typical dishes like Roman lamb, Vaccinara oxtail, fried mixed meat, porchetta of Ariccia with the famous artichoke at the Jewish style, chicory. If you are able to still stay stand, you can close your lunch with a nice cream currant bun!

Where to sleep in Rome

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Pope’s audiences, international events, concerts, schools and millions of tourists make the search for a good hotel  a big challenge, but Rome has an exceptional tourist capacity.

Where to sleep in Rome
Where to sleep in Rome

If you book in advance, you’ll save a lot and you can find a better location, but you’ll always find a place, even during high season. Obviously if you want to stay in the old town centre you’ll pay a higher price or if you want to save your money you have to be flexible to small hotels without breakfast or private toilet. Much more possibilities come from the hotel just outside the centre . The average price of a 3 star hotel for one night starts from 80 €.

If you are looking for a hotel in Rome, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 2000 hotels with prices, pictures  and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com